Imagine a creature scarcely four inches across, with fragile orange and black wings, weighing less than half an ounce, flying up to six thousand miles to find warmth and shelter from winter climes.

Imagine tens of thousands of such creatures passing through Wimberley, pausing for only a few days to delight local nature lovers.

If you can imagine this, you have envisioned  the Monarch Butterfly migration, which happens every spring and fall..

In the fall, monarchs by the millions begin leaving the northern states when temperatures start to fall below 60°F, passing through the Hill Country in early to mid-October on their way to Mexico and Central America. Although their visit is brief, longer lingering may be encouraged by planting milkweed and  butterfly plants in your garden

In the spring, migrating females lay eggs on milkweed plants they find as they fly, recolonizing the southern United States before they die. Click here for more...

Dorey Schmidt is a former Wimberley writer and publisher. The butterfly release at the EmilyAnn Theatre was Dorey's idea! She originally ordered the larvae and supervised the hatching and care and feeding of 250 Painted Lady Butterflies. The butterfly release is now a Wimberley tradition.